Erode Bypoll 2023: The Erode East by-election was held in Tamil Nadu on Monday, February 27. The voting began at 7 AM and ended at 6 PM with nearly 75 percent polling percentile.

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According to the authorities, the polling exercise was peaceful and approximately 2.27 lakh voters cast their votes.

Chief Electoral Officer, Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters in Chennai that the polling percentage till 6 PM stood at 74.69 percent. While the by-poll result would have no immediate impact on the State's present political landscape, it could set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Erode Bypoll 2023: Result Date
The constituency has 2,27,547 voters and women (1,16,497) are more than men (1,11,025) and 25 fall under the third gender category. The total number of polling stations is 238. Votes will be counted on March 2.

Candidates of the ruling DMK-backed EVKS Elangovan of the Congress and AIADMK's K S Thennarasu among others cast their votes.

The election was necessitated due to the death of Elangovan's son and Congress legislator E Thirumahan Everaa in January this year.

While 77 candidates are in the fray, the battle is likely confined between Congress and AIADMK. Naam Tamizhar Katchi's Meneka Navaneethan is among the other candidates.

The outcome of the election, the first since the DMK came to power in 2021, will have no major bearing on the existing strength of the respective parties in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly but is being seen as an indicator of the ruling party's popularity, especially with the LS elections slated next year.

Eighteen Congress MLAs were elected to the House in 2021 but the DMK ally's strength came down by 1 due to the vacancy following Thirumahan Everaa's death.

The Palaniswami-led AIADMK, the main Opposition party in the Assembly has a strength of 66 MLAs and a win here would be a morale booster to the party ahead of the hustings in 2024. The Supreme Court had last week allowed him to continue as the party' interim chief, seen as a shot in arm for Palaniswami.

The AIADMK's performance could inspire Palaniswami and his leadership team, which is facing a legal battle led by O Panneerselvam against his expulsion.

(With PTI inputs)